Enough Is Enough!

(Click on the image for Brad Bell's ABC7 News 4 PM report)

Click here for Brad's 5 PM report

From John Townsend, AAA:

As a result of the legislative process, House Bill 187 goes into effect Saturday, June 1, 2019. It increases the number of speed cameras from one to three in totality along a 13-mile stretch of Maryland Route 210 inside Prince George’s County. Advocates and residents had sought “the placement of seven additional speed cameras” along the roadway.  State legislators trimmed the total to three. Residents are bracing themselves for the hard part: changing driver behavior on Indian Head Highway.

 “In regard to all that has transpired in the legislative victory entailing the speed cameras, we will now focus on the cultural mindset of the driving public. This includes establishing a new paradigm for inculcating the essential thinking skills that foster safe driving behavior,” said Reverend Dr. Robert L. Screen, the lead facilitator of the 210 Traffic Safety Committee. “We are seeking to change the mindset of drivers along Indian Head Highway and trying to engender a traffic safety culture on the roadway. Our goal is grooming safe drivers who are conscientious, intentional, and purposefully deliberate towards the welfare and wellbeing of themselves and others in our driving environment.”

Did You Know?

• Maryland requires 6 hours of behind-the-wheel driver's training as part of a Driver's Ed course,
  PLUS:
  60 hours of supervised behind-the-wheel practice (10 hours at night), if you're a new driver under 25 years old.
• Maryland requires a hairstylist to be at least 17 years of age and have completed 9th grade or G.E.D; Applicant must submit proof of completion of 1200 hours of training in a cosmetology school or 15 months as a registered apprentice in a licensed beauty salon.

PGPD Mourns Off-Duty Officer Killed in Beltway Collision

From http://pgpolice.blogspot.com/

"The Prince George's County Police Department is mourning the loss of an off-duty police officer killed late Tuesday night in a collision.
Shortly before 11:00 pm, Officer Davon McKenzie was riding a motorcycle in the southbound lanes of I-495 at Route 202 when he was struck by another vehicle. He died of his injuries a short time later at a hospital.
"The Prince George's County Police family is broken hearted at the loss of this young officer and only son. He was well respected and loved by his fellow officers. I, on behalf of all of us who were at the hospital and all those who couldn't be, extend our deepest condolences to his family," said Chief Hank Stawinski.
Officer McKenzie was assigned to the Bureau of Patrol. He joined the Prince George's County Police Department in March of 2017. He was 24 years old.
Maryland State Police are investigating the circumstances of the fatal collision."

News4 report is here.

Speed does not always increase the quality of life

May 28, northbound Indian Head Highway near Farmington Rd

It’s the middle of the night. Do you know who your iPhone is talking to?

(Click on the image for By Geoffrey Fowler's Washington Post report)

This should worry you!

Speed Cameras on the Way

(Click on the image for Tracee Wilkins News4 report)

John Townsend, AAA: Rev. Dr. Screen is "a real-life Highway Hero"

Convicted felon arrested in new crime spree released on $1,500 bond hours after arrest

(Click on the image for Brad Bell's ABC7 report)

• In Maryland, nineteen people woke up Wednesday morning and discovered steering wheel airbags had been stolen from their cars.
• The airbags had been taken in a three-hour crime spree from Bowie to Upper Marlboro in the middle of the night, police say.
• Prince George’s County Police quickly arrested two men that night, identified as Michael Roane and Roy Guzman.
• This is the third time ABC7 News has reported a story involving Roane. Last year he was arrested in Virginia for stealing wheels from 76 cars. And in 2016 he was charged with reckless driving for taking and posting video of an ATV rider taunting a PGPD officer.
• Roane is a convicted felon on probation in Virginia but he was released on $1,500 bond just hours after his capture for the alleged airbags thefts.

Are You Speeding?

"We all have the right to live." Even on MD 210!

(Click on the image for Rev. Dr. Screen's opinion in The Washington Post)

• "Have we become a people who will do what is right only when law enforcement is watching or governing our behavior?"
• Do we value life? Ours and others?

What Do Criminals Want from Your Car?

(Click on the image for Scott MacFarland's News4 report)

We have the same kind of crime as in D.C.

• An average of more than 80 items are stolen from cars in Washington, D.C., each day.
• Thefts from vehicles in the District in 2018 include nearly 6,000 stolen handbags and purses.
• Thieves are targeting items left visible inside cars, including bags, clothes and papers tossed on passenger seats.
• Nearly 3,000 thefts of portable electronics in D.C. from cars in 2018. The records also list approximately 2,800 computer hardware thefts and nearly 2,400 thefts of clothes from parked cars last year.
• Other frequently stolen items included identity documents, credit cards, cash and tools.

District VII CAC Bids Major Muldoon and Captain Stanley Farewell

Major Muldoon is retiring and Captain Stanley is being reassigned. It was a bittersweet moment for them and for the CAC.

On behalf of the entire District VII community we say thanks Major Muldoon and Captain Stanley for your superb leadership, partnership, professionalism, commitment to excellence, and strong active engagement in resolving issues, reducing crime, improving safety on MD 210 and enhancing security throughout our communities.  We will surely miss you.  God bless and God speed as you embark upon exciting new endeavors.

Video on the MD 210 Interchange Improvement Project

(Click on the image for the 3 minute MDOT/SHA video)

MD 210 Safety Briefing

via GIPHY
Click here for the briefing.

Speed limit increases are tied to 37,000 deaths over 25 years

(Click on the image for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study)

• Rising speed limits over the past 25 years have cost nearly 37,000 lives, including more than 1,900 in 2017 alone
• About 10,000 people a year die in speed-related crashes.
• We can reduce this toll through effective, high-visibility enforcement and traffic engineering measures. Reasonable speed limits also have a crucial role to play.
• A 5 mph increase in the maximum speed limit was associated with an 8 percent increase in the fatality rate on interstates and freeways

Are seniors more vulnerable to financial scams?

(Click on the image for David Brancaccio's Marketplace.org video)

• Judy was coerced into buying $166,000 in gift cards and turned them over to a scammer.
• According to a 2016 study, people 50 and older hold 83% of the wealth in America; households headed by people in their 70s and 80s tend to have the highest median net worth. That makes them prime targets for financial scams and the effects can be devastating.
• With an aging population this is an elder justice issue, a personal finance issue and a public policy issue. It’s hard to pin down the numbers: A study out of New York state estimates as few as one in 44 cases are ever reported, and studies have calculated that older people lose anywhere from $2.9 billion to $36 billion each year from financial exploitation.

Irresponsible Drivers Pay More for Auto Insurance

(Click on the image for the report)

• A DUI violation costs $3,258 over 3 years (pg. 22)
• A speeding ticket for 11 - 15 MPH over the limit costs $924 over 3 years (pg. 24)
• Getting caught texting or otherwise using your phone while driving will raise your insurance premium 20% ($289) – and in some states more than 50%. (pg. 25)

Not getting a speeding ticket is, in fact, pretty easy:

(Click on the image for the Washington Area Bicyclist Association discussion)

1. Read sign
2. Compare number to speedometer. 
3. Apply pressure to brake pedal as needed.

2019 Leadership & Life Summer Camp 2019 Registration is OPEN!

(Click on the image to register)

• This year, the Prince George's County Police Athletic League will host one session of the Leadership & Life Camp.  The week long co-ed camp is open to Prince George’s County youth ages 11 to 14 as of July 8, 2019. The goal of this camp is to provide a friendly and safe environment, while bridging the gap between law enforcement and youth.  The camp consists of team building exercises, group discussions, guest speakers, and off site activities. Last year, guest speakers discussed topics such as life skills, entrepreneurship, peer pressure, and career choices. Field Trips last year included Dave and Busters, the Zava Zone, Great Waves Water Park, Race Car Track. Campers are required to bring a bag lunch daily, however, morning and afternoon snacks are provided. We have received a tremendous amount of positive feedback from the youth and parents who attended our camps in the past!
• Please contact Corporal Taylor at NTaylor@co.pg.md.us for any inquires regarding the camp.
• Hours: 9:00AM through 4:00PM, *No before or after care.
• Cost: $100 per session. *There is a $25 non-refundable fee

Drive the Length of a Football Field at 55 MPH - Blindfolded?

(Click on the image for 7 risky behaviors and 7 tips to stay safe)

Drivers actually do this. Most of them survive.

Do you feel lucky?

Adults are not setting a good example for young drivers. See the News4 report here.

1 charged after Prince George’s Co. hit-and-run

(Click on the image for Rick Massimo's WTOP report)

• The Maryland State Police said in a statement that Lamar Davon Daniels, 37, of Landover, drove  a Dodge Caravan through a stop sign at Maryland Route 210/Indian Head Highway and Livingston Road just before 3 a.m. When a state trooper signaled for him to pull over, the police said, Daniels slowed down, but then sped off.
• State troopers arrested Daniels and found a loaded Glock semi-automatic handgun near where he was arrested, the police said, adding that they also found “indicators of impairment from alcohol or drugs.” A database check found that Daniels was prohibited from owning a gun because of a felony conviction.
• The people in the car were taken to a hospital where they were checked out and released. Daniels was treated and released, all the while in police custody.
• Daniels faces charges including fleeing and eluding law enforcement, failing to remain at the scene of a personal injury collision, driving while under the influence, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person with a felony conviction and more.

Chief Stawinski Wants Changes to Indian Head Highway

(Click on the image for Chief Stawinski's response to the News4 DUI report)

Chief Stawinski:

• Increased enforcement on MD 210 has not reduced the number of crashes.
• He wants the state to expand the highway or add more overpasses.
• Low percentage of jail time for DUI surprised him and he's concerned.
• He's confident that the leadership of the judiciary will come up with a solution.

Judge Femia's "Rocket Docket" menu is available at this link.

Major Muldoon to Retire

From Major Muldoon:
 After 29 years of service to the citizens of Prince George’s County, I’ve made the very difficult decision to retire from this agency that has treated me so well. When I started my career in 1990, Prince George’s County was a different place. The murder rate was twice what it is today, the crack cocaine epidemic had ravaged communities, with open air drug markets a common sight on many street corners and the relationship between the police and the community it served was very adversarial. That picture of Prince George’s County has changed drastically. This county is now a destination for many. Twenty-nine years ago, if you would have told me that the Redskin’s stadium, a resort area (built on my old duck hunting grounds) with nationally renowned hotels, restaurants, casino and shopping and miles of good walking and bike trails were going to be in Prince George’s County I would said you were crazy. Prince George’s County is definitely on the right track and the future is incredibly bright. None of this could have occurred if those living within, visiting and investing in Prince George’s County didn’t feel safe. I am very proud to have served during that transformation. I can look back and know that the police department and in a very small way, my service played a part in that. I can retire with no regrets.
That brings me to today. My decision to leave now is based on the needs for my family. I will have two kids in college this coming fall. In two years, I’ll have three in college and one still in high school. I am in a position where I am still young enough to pursue a second career. There are a number of opportunities in the area for a washed up cops and I will be exploring those.
My last day reporting to work will be at the end of the month, I will be on leave for an extended period of time. I do not know who my replacement will be. Captain Stanley will be at the helm until the Chief names him or someone else as the Commander. There are some very bright and energetic commanders waiting in the wings for this job and I’m sure that the next will be better than the last. Although short, my time at District VII will be one of the high points of my career. Most of my career I spent chasing “bad guys” or planning for and reacting to critical incidents. This assignment helped me realize how much more effective a police agency can be when there is a true partnership with the community. I’ve never seen such commitment from a group to make their community a better place than I’ve seen here. I will cherish the relationships and friendships I have made here. Mostly, I want to thank you for the support you have shown me and the folks at this station. I’m here through the end of the month.
JJ

Venetia Brown's response reflects our community's feelings:
Major Mudoon,
Hearty congrats on 29 honorable years serving Prince George's County!  We weren't expecting to lose you so soon in District VII.  Our loss is your next employer's gain.  You have left an indelible imprint on our County and State.  Thanks for your service, dedication, diligence, and professionalism in keeping our County safe and taking action to reduce crime over the past 3 decades.  God bless and keep you in your future endeavors.  We know you will excel and bless others as you've blessed us.

Most Drunken Drivers Who Caused Crashes on Indian Head Highway in Past 3 Years Avoided Jail

(Click on the image for Scott MacFarlane's News4 report)

• Almost nobody goes to jail for drunk driving in Prince George's County despite causing injuries in many cases and regardless of whether they had prior DUI arrests.
• "I think the justice system did not take these (DUI) cases very seriously,” [State’s Attorney Aisha] Braveboy said.
• The state court system acknowledged Prince George’s County courts had for years used a “unique” system for adjudicating DUI/DWI cases, overseen primarily by a single judge. Several legal analysts and Braveboy said the system has offered predictable outcomes for defendants and was used to speed cases to completion. The Maryland court system said Prince George’s County courts recently ceased using the system.
• [C]ases reviewed by the I-Team, from spring 2017, shows tougher sentences for DUI cases along the Charles County stretch of Indian Head Highway. All five drivers charged with DUI on the highway in Charles County were sentenced to jail time or supervised release. According to publicly available court records, none of those charged in Prince George’s County are shown to have served sentences of jail time or supervised release during that span.
• Prince George’s has the second most number of DUI cases in Maryland, about 500 every month.

PGPD in Partnership with DPW&T Prevents Illegal Commercial Dumping in Sting Operation

(Click on the image for the details)

Prince George’s County Police Officers and Investigators prevented two attempts to illegally dump commercial trash in a County neighborhood and arrested two men who had open warrants out for their arrests.
The sting operation at 4 am this morning  on Cryden Way near Marlboro Pike was led by Chief Hank Stawinski and was the result of a collaboration between PGPD and the Prince George’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation. The Chief said, “Our business owners were tired of walking out of their businesses and seeing piles of trash that belonged in a dump and not across from their places of work. We took that tip and showed up under the cover of night and caught two construction trucks on the verge of dumping more trash, but we stopped it. We want our community to know that we take your tips seriously. We embrace County Executive Angela Alsobrooks’ mandate to keep our neighborhoods free of trash. We are all proud of where we work and live and we are putting illegal dumpers on notice. If you illegally dump commercial trash in our neighborhoods, you will face arrest.”
Ten new hidden cameras have been installed throughout the county to catch people illegally dumping.

U Drive. U Text. U Pay.

(Click on the image for "Famous Last Words")

“The attitude of [not just] younger drivers today regarding distracted driving is very much like the attitudes toward drunk driving in the 70s. Namely, ‘It’s bad but let’s not punish folks for doing it, because I am doing it.’” Today, we have a strong social norm against drunk driving, but an evolving prohibition against texting or cell phone calling. [CarTalk]

A Safer Road for Our Young Is a Safer Road for You

(Click on the image for the NHTSA Fact Sheet)

Crashes are the Number 1 Cause of Injury Death for Ages 4-24

Open House at District VII on May 9, 2019

Date: Thursday, May 9, 2019
Time: 4pm-7pm
Location: District VII Police Station 
11108 Fort Washington Rd., Fort Washington MD 20744

The District VII staff cordially invites all members of the surrounding communities to join us at our open house. This will be an opportunity to meet your commanders and officers that patrol your District. Spread the word to your communities and businesses! See you on May 9th!  *Light refreshments will be provided*.